Archive for the ‘Wine Legal Battles’ Category
Many of us have watched opponents of direct shipping cynically use the clarion call of "KIDS, BUT THE KIDS!" for years in their attempt to prevent the shipment of wines across state lines and directly to the homes of consumers. Distributors can't be said to have no concern for the well being of children. They have children too, after all. But their faux concern for kids buying wine over the Internet then being on hand when the package arrives, being…
Testifying in front of a government body is frustrating, for a number of reasons. The primary source of frustration, however, is the inability to stand up in the midst of of a hearing and shout, "Bullshit!" It's not so much an inability as it is a matter of decorum and one's desire to see how the hearing ends. I stayed until the end of a hearing last Friday on HB 716, a bill that if made into law would provide…
If you enjoy watching good old fashioned democracy in action, then watch the Napa Valley Board of Supervisors meeting today. Today a public hearing is on the agenda to discuss the modification of the "Winery Definition Ordinance". This is the public document that defines what kind of events a Napa Valley Winery may engage in and even discusses how a winery might market itself. What everyone is in a tizzy over is this: "Marketing of wine” means any activity of…
As I write this, President Obama is holding court at Blair House and discussing with members of congress the issue of healthcare. It's a contentious issue that will define the President's first term and that has highlighted many of the philosophical divides inside congress and among the American people. While I'm not convinced the Healthcare Summit will do anything more than provide a televised forum for staring into the gulf that is political partisanship, it an interesting discussion and helps…
We get mail here at FERMENTATION. Often that mail is from good folks who just have questions that need answers. I'm always happy to oblige. For example, I recently received this email from a happy reader who obviously follows this blog: Tom: I want to know who made you the king of wine sales? If you don't like the three tier system and distributors then why don't you find another country where you can Flack for your shitty wineries and…
